Yarn supporting device



Jan. 7, 1936. J. G. SKELTON 2,027,325

YARN SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed March 26, 1935 Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES YARN SUPPORTING DEVICE John G. Skelton, Richmond, Va.., assignor to J. G.

Skelton Company, Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation of Virginia.

Application March 26, 1935, Serial No. 13,162

10 Claims.

My invention relates to a yarn supporting device and has for its principal object the provision of means which, without necessity of making any adjustments thereof, will securely hold cops and the like of various shapes and sizes.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an efficient support on which string or yarn may be readily wound directly from the hank.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character indicated in which the tendency of the yarn to become entangled on the spindle is minimized.

A primary feature of the invention consists in constructing a supporting device with a spindle having a plurality of resilient supporting members which extend laterally from the spindle, each of the supporting members being formed with inner and outer portions that are joined at their lower ends, the upper ends of one set of said portions being slidably associated with the spindle.

A further feature of the invention resides in providing the supporting device with resilient members which diverge downwardly with respect to the spindle and each of which involves an upper segment, a lower segment, and an outwardly extending portion intervening between the segments, the said lower segment and the said outwardly projecting portion being adapted to have contact with a cop or the like at spaced points.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of my'invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device with a cop mounted thereon.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the device, showing a cylinder on the supporting frame.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device showing yarn wound directly on the supporting frame.

In the preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the device is shown as provided with a base 5 formed with a centrally located socket 2 for receiving the lower end of a spindle 3. The spindle preferably does not rotate in the socket and to prevent such rotation its lower end may be roughened or otherwise suitably shaped.

Rotatably mounted upon the spindle is a resilient supporting frame comprising a plurality of resilient members 4. Each of these resilient members is formed with an inner portion 5 and an outer portion 6, said portions diverging out wardly from the spindle and converging toward each other and being joined at their lower ends, where they preferably are fashioned to provide fingers 1 which project into an upwardly opening circular recess 8 with which the base I may advantageously be provided. By projecting into the circular recess in the base, the fingers l of the resilient frame guard against the yarn becoming entangled with the spindle in the event of the development of an undue amount of slack as the yarn is being unwound from the frame.

The upper ends of the outer portions 6 of the several resilient frame members 4 are connected to a collar 9 which is rotatably carried by the spindle 3, and is supported against downward vertical movement by means of a ring In (see Fig. 2) fixed to the spindle. The upper ends of the inner portions 5 of the resilient frame members are connected to a collar II that is slidably and rotatably mounted upon the spindle. This construction is one of the important features of the invention in that it provides a frame which may be readily collapsed and which at the same time, due to the slidable association of the upper ends of the inner portions of the resilient members with the spindle, will exert a substantially uniform gripping pressure upon cops of different sizes without regard to whether they are conical or cylindrical. It also insures the centering of the cop with respect to the spindle.

If it is desired to provide the device with means for controlling the tension upon the yarn, this may be conveniently accomplished by threading the upper end of the spindle 3 to receive a nut i2 between which and the upper end of the collar 9 a spring I3 is interposed. By suitably adjusting the nut I2 frictional resistance opposing rotation of the resilient frame may be varied.

The outer portion 5 of each of the resilient frame members or arms 4 comprises a lower segment l4 and an upper segment !5 which are connected by an intervening outwardly extending portion l6. Adjacent its lower end each of the lower segments i4 is offset outwardly to form a laterally extending portion l! affording an upwardly facing supporting seat or shoulder adapted to engage the lower end of a cop when the latter is applied to the resilient frame.

A supporting device constructed in accordance with the invention, wherein, as will be appreciated, the resilient frame is associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal positionwhen displaced therefrom is advantageous in that it is suitable for use with cops of different sizes and without regard to whether they are conical or cylindrical; and in that while the cops may be readily applied to and removed from the supporting device they are firmly held by the resilient frame when in use. These advantages are primarily due to the fact that each of the arms 4 of the frame is resilient and is adapted to engage a cop at two spaced points. One of these points of engagement on each of the resilient arms 4 is provided by an outwardly extending downwardly facing portion or shoulder it) which intervenes between the lower and upper segments l4 and I5, respectively, of the outer portion 6 of the resilient arm. The other point of engagement of each resilient arm with the cop is provided by the lower segment l4 with which the lower edge of the cop has contact, such point of contact varying with the extent to which the cop is forced downwardly upon the resilient frame. It is, however, intended that the cop shall normally be associated with the frame in such manner that its lower end is in contact with and supported by the seats or shoulders I! with which the resilient frame is provided, and in the preferred embodiment of the invention the inner surface of the cop adjacent its lower end is engaged by the slight shoulders ll spaced above the seats I! and formed on the lower segments 14 to aid in preventing any tendency of the cop to work upwardly on the frame.

When, as illustrated in Figure 2, a conical cop I8 is applied to the resilient frame and forced downwardly, its inner surface contacts with the resilient frame members 4 at the outer ends of the downwardly facing shoulders or portions l6 thereof while the lower edge of the cop rides downwardly over the lower segments M of the resilient frame members, thereby forcing the resilient frame members toward the spindle 3 and causing an accompanying upward sliding of the lower collar ll upon the spindle.

Figure 3 illustrates a cylindrical cop l9 applied to the resilient frame. The action of such a cop upon the resilient frame in being applied thereto is precisely the same as in the case of a conical cop.

As shown in Figure 4, the device, if desired, may be used for receiving yarn directly from the hank. In such a case the yarn is prevented from slipping off the frame by the outwardly extending portions l6 and the upwardly facing seats or shoulders I1.

I claim:

1. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members mounted on the spindle and diverging outwardly therefrom, in the direction of the base, each of said members including inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and so associated with the spindle at their upper ends that the upper ends of the outer portions are spaced upwardly from the upper ends of the inner portions, certain of said portions being provided at their upper ends with means encircling the spindle and movable lengthwise thereof, and the upper ends of the other of said portions being supported on said spindle.

2. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members projecting laterally from the spindle, each of said members 5 including inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and diverging outwardly from said spindle in the direction of the base, means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of 10 said inner portions to the spindle, and the upper ends of said outer portions being supported on the spindle at a point spaced upwardly from said last named means.

3. A yarn supporting device involving a spin- 15 dle, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame comprising a plurality of resilient members mounted on the spindle and projecting laterally therefrom, eachof said members including inner and outer downwardly con- 20 verging portions joined at their lower ends, the upper ends of said outer portions being supported by the spindle, and each of said outer portions comprising upper and lower segments and an outwardly projecting portion intervening be- 25 tween said segments, and means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of said inner portions of the resilient members to the spindle.

4. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a 30 spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced therefrom and comprising 35 a plurality of resilient members projecting laterally from the spindle, each of said members ineluding inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and diverging outwardly from said spindle in the direction of 0 the base, and means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of said inner portions of the resilient members to the spindle, each of said outer portions of the resilient members being provided adjacent its lower end with a laterally extending portion affording an upwardly facing supporting shoulder, and the upper ends of said outer portions being supported on the spindle at a point spaced upwardly from the upper ends of said inner portions.

5. A yarn supporting device involving a spindle, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members projecting laterally from the spindle and each including inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and diverging outwardly from the spindle in the di- 60 rection of the base, the upper end of said outer portions being supported on the spindle, and each of said outer portions comprising upper and lower segments and having an outwardly projecting portion intervening between said segments, each of said outer portions being also provided adjacent its lower end with a laterally extending portion affording an upwardly facing supporting shoulder, and means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of said inner portions of the resilient members to the spindle, said means being spaced downwardly from the point at which the upper ends of the outer portions are supported on the spindle.

6. A yarn supporting device involving a base having a spindle mounted thereon, said base having a recess therein substantially concentric with said spindle, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on said spindle, said frame comprising a plurality of resilient members projecting laterally from the spindle, each of said resilient members including inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends to form fingers projecting into said recess, the upper ends of said outer portions being supported by the spindle, and means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of said inner portions to the spindle.

'7. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a spindle carried by the base, and a plurality of resilient members rotatably carried by said spindle and spaced from each other circumferentially thereof, each of said resilient members including inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and diverging from said spindle in the direction of the base, and a collar slidably and rotatably mounted on the spindle, the upper ends of said inner portions being secured to said collar, a second collar rotatably mounted on the spindle and to which the upper ends of said outer portions are secured, means connected to the sprindle for supporting said last named collar, and adjustable means mounted on the spindle for retarding the rotation of said resilient members, said adjustable means comprising a spring encircling said spindle and supported by said last mentioned collar, and movable means for compressing said spring.

8. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced'therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members mounted on the spindle and diverging outwardly therefrom in the direction of the base, each of said members including inner and outer downwardly converging portions disposed in the same radial plane and joined at their lower ends, the upper ends of said outer portions being supported on the spindle,

and means mounted on the spindle for slidably connecting the upper ends of said inner portions to the spindle, said means being spaced downwardly from the point at which the upper ends of the outer portions are supported on the spin- 5 dle.

9. A yarn supporting device involving a base, a spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle so as to exert 10 a constant tendency to return to normal position when displaced therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members, each of said resilient members having inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends 15 and diverging outwardly from the spindle in the direction of the base, a collar slidably mounted on the spindle, the upper ends of said inner portions being secured to said collar, and a second collar mounted on the spindle and to which the 20 upper ends of said outer portions are secured, and means connected to the spindle for supporting said last named collar at a point spaced upwardly from said first named collar.

10. A yarn supporting device involving a base, 2 a spindle carried by the base, and a resilient supporting frame mounted on the spindle, said frame being associated with the spindle soas to exert a constant tendency to return tonormal position when displaced therefrom and comprising a plurality of resilient members, each of said resilient members having inner and outer downwardly converging portions joined at their lower ends and diverging outwardly from the spindle in the direction of the base, a collar mounted on and secured from downward movement relative to the spindle, the upper ends of said outer portions being secured to said collar, and each of said outer portions comprising upper and lower segments and an outwardly projecting portion intervening between said segments, and a second collar slidably mounted on the spindle at a point spaced downwardly from said first named collar and to which the upper ends of said inner portions are secured.

JOHN G. SKELTON. 

